Clip and channel



` sept. 13, 193s. L. F. URBAIN n AL 2,129,976

CLIP AND CHANNEL Filed May 20, 1935 Patented Sept. 13, 1938 UNITED STA-TES PATENT OFFICE- Application May 20, 1935, Serial No. 22,331

9v Claims.

The. present invention has to do with a holding means for surfaceforming units suchV as floor boards, acoustical tiles, and the like, andrelates to a clip` frictionally held in a channel. The invention teachesthe use of a. channel upon which boards or other surface forming unitsrest, and amember in the channel and projecting therefrom between suchboards or other units to maintain such boards or units in assembly. The

lrnclip possesses lateral extensions frictionally engaging the boards orother units and. firmly maintains such units upon the channels.

The objects of the invention, among others, include the provision of thefollowing:

151 A new fastening means for boards or other surface forming structuralunits, comprising a channel or similar member for supporting suchboards, and a clip frictionally held in*V the channel for retaining theboards or other unitsv in 20@ assembly;

An unique holding member having a channel support in which the holdingmember is maintained against displacement by resiliency and deformation;

A clip member having at one end a` deformable sectionA suited forattachment to a base and at itsv other endr a section shaped topenetrate or overlap a part of a board to fasten.v the board inpositionwithout the use of nails;

A clipv structure for use in a channel and so designed that the clip ismaintained against up` setting during its assembly with such channel anda boardr resting thereon; and

An improved assembly of oor boards and the 35 like in which spaced apartlinear members support the boards and provide anchorage for frictionallyheld members which extendr over or into the boardstofmaintain-suchboards against move` Figure 1' isan exploded top'angular view oftheherein described channel and a clip, fragments of grooved floorboards being shown in dotted outline;

Figure 2 is a pla-nview of a clip, channel, and a fragment of a board,the full lines illustrating the'position of the clip whenv lockedagainst a board: and the.I dotted. outline showing the position of theclip in the course of: its' assembly against a board;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of two clips, a chan.- nel, and parts ofthree boards;

Figure 4 is a transverse section of aclip taken di on line 4 4 of Figure5 and looking'in the direc'-v tion of the arrows;

Figure 5 is a front elevation of a clip locked lin a section of achannel;

Figure 6 is a front elevation ofa second form. 10il of clip suitable foruse in a channel whichV is:r shown in cross section; and

Figures 7 and 8 are front elevation and.l sidev views of a third form ofclip also suitable for use inthe channel, the tongue and groovetopfpor-15; tion of the clip not being claimed herein because it is not thejoint invention of the applicants, and the channel being shown in crosssection in Figure '7. I

.Like reference characters are used to'designaten 20 similarl parts inthe accompanying drawing: andin the description hereinafter given.

For many yearsfboardsghave been nailed into. position. Nails havelimitations as fastening means for boards. Substitutes for nails have abeen used but there has beenno material replacement thereof. Objectionsto the many proposed substitutes for nails have existed because boardsfastened therewith have been inclinedv to creep, thesubstitutes havebeen difficult to use,4 30: and such substitutes have been costlytoproduce and apply and have been short lived.

The objections to nailed boar-ds include the high cost of labor, thescarring of the boards, and the ineiectiveness of the nails toi'lrmlyhold 35, the boards. This last objection to a nailed struc` ture ismostpronounced when boards expandfrom exposure to moisture. Uponexpansion, the boards pull away from the nails used to hold them, orpull the nails from their original posi- 40j tions. This physicalmovement of the boards is called creepingj and' results in buckling ofvthe boards. The boards will squeak when trod 1110011.;

The present device for laying oor boards or 'v the like overcomes all ofthe objections to nailed boards and in addition provides a means forfastening boards more firmly and generally at a less cost than whennails are employed. The principles of the invention are applicable tosurface forming units other than floor boards as, for ex-r ample,various forms of tile and the like. For a clear illustration of one formof this invention,

a specific type of boardvis shown therewith in the accompanying drawing.

Boards I0, shown in the drawing, are especially milled, are particularlysuited for use with the present clip and channel, and are highly efcientfor floors requiring strength. The floor boards I0 may be of anysuitable thickness. The sides of the boards I0 are designated by thereference characters II. Grooves I2 are milled or cut in the sides II.This may be done when the side surfaces of the board are being milled.

The depth of the groove I2 is determined by the length of the upperwings of a clip member shortly to 'be described. The width of suchgrooves should be equal to orgreater than the thickness of the materialof the clip. The lower surface I3 of the groove I2 is generally parallelwith the top surface of the board. Preferably the outer lower corner ofthe groove I2 is slightly rounded or beveled. as shown. The two groovesI2 in board I0 are opposed and parallel. Y

The sides II of the board I may be slightly beveled inwardly from thetop to the bottom thereof to provide a space between contiguous boardsfor the web of the clip. That portion of the side II of the board I0above the groove I2, if desired, may have a face perpendicular to thetop face thereof. A slight inward bevel, however, has been founddesirable upon such upper portion of the side I I to secure a closematch between contiguous boards. A slight bevel permits of a limiteddeformation at the top edge of the boards when two boards are broughttogether A under strong pressure, while perpendicular parallel sides ofany extended width prevent deformation.

Cracks which collect dust and make unsightly oors will be produced whenthe opposed edges of contiguous boards I-are perpendicular unless theperpendicular sides of the contiguous boards are mechanically perfect.Under the pressure which is necessary for laying boards held in positionby the clips herein described, the top corners of the boards are firmlycompressed. When so compressed, the cracks between contiguous boardsbecome microscopic in width, the resil- .iency of the compressed topedges of the board compensating for the irregularities in the facesthereof. Any upward distortion of the material 0f the boards produced bypressure and which is always slight is removed during the normal ortening means for holding the channels may be in the form of screws ornails or any special fastening member, including a member sunk into acement sub-floor and into which sunken members a lscrew or boltpenetrating the channel 2 may later be inserted.

The clip 3U comprises an upright web 3l having slots'32 at opposite sideedges thereof. The slots 32 are complemental to the flanges 23. Thematerial of the web 3I beneath the Vslots 32 and extending under flanges23 prevents the clip from being lifted out of the channel 20. The widthof the web 3| below the slots 32 is slightly greater than is theinternal width of the channel 20.

Wings or feet33 extend from the bottom edge of the clip. The wings 33may be opposed, as

shown, or they may each reach in the same direction. .One wing may besubstituted for the two illustrated. The outer edges of the wings areset back from the outer side edges of the adjacent web 3l as shown sothat the feet 33 do not interfere with the rotation of a clip 3G in achannel 20 on an axis defined by either end of that section of the web3| beneath the flanges 23 or at any point in the web 3i therebetween.

The top of the clip comprises also two wings 34. These project inopposite directions for insertion into or over sections of boards Iil.The contact of wings 34 upon the lower face I3 of the groove I2 isfrictionally rm. Some deformation of the lip of the board I3 may result.The lip, that is, the portion of the board between the surface I3 andits bottom surface, should be sui'liciently deep that it will not crackor break away from the main body of the board under such compressingdeformation. The frictional and deforming engagement of the Wing 34 uponthe lip of a board holds the board tightly upon the channel 2U.

In the preferred form of clip vfor use upon boards of the characterillustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the clips 3G comprise two lower wings33 and two upper wings 34. The lower Wings 33 project oppositely to oneanother and oppositely to the wings 34 which latter Wings are oppositeto one another. This arrangement is clearly illustrated in Figure 1.

Boards II) are laid in a floor in the following manner: Channels 2B aresuitably anchored and made level. Leveling may be by grouting or byblocking. The channels may be spaced at regular intervals. They may beparallel. be laid in linear continuity. There is no necessity, however,for observing accuracy in the spacing of the channels other than toobtain a low cost. I'he channels may be laid with staggered ends ifdesired. One channel may be at the side of a second channel and overlapthe end of the second channel to obtain a continuous supporting surfacefor boards.

The rst board I 0 laid upon the channels is positioned in any suitablemanner. Generally such board abuts a wall. The edge of the board againstthe wall must be fastened in a manner which will prevent the wall edgefrom lifting. It may be nailed or fastened with a screw. Special clipsmay be devised therefor. After the first board has been anchored, a clip30 is inserted into each channel 20 on which the board rests and ismoved along the channel until it is close to the free edge of the board(see Figure 2). A clip is inserted into a channel and advancedtherealong and brought in contact with the edge of the anchored boardwhile being maintained in an oblique position. Obliquity is necessarybecause the channel has an interior width less than the width of the webof the clip beneath the slots 32 therein. Clips 3i), therefore, cannotbe inserted into a channel 20 or advanced along a channel with the webs3I normal to the channel 23. The feet 33 upon the clip 30 are of lesswidth than the web 3I as shown so that the feet will not bind upon orengage the interior walls of the channel to prevent direct contactbetween the end of a weband the channel.

When a clip 30 is brought into proximity with the side II of a board I0,the clip is ready to be driven or forced home. This may be done with atool or in any other suitable manner. Driving a clip 30 home causes itsweb to become substantially normal to the channel 20 and the web 3l Theymay becomes parallel or substantially parallel with the side II of theboard ID against which it is driven. The web 3| should always be forcedtightly and compressingly against the side of a board.

A slight bow is generally formed in the material of the clip as it isdriven home. Such a deformation may be localized at one or both ends ofthe lower section of the web of the clip, or it may extend throughoutthe entire width of the lower section of the web as shown in Figure 4.Such bow or deformation in the material o-f the web is produced byforcing the web transversely across the channel, and is a result of anexcess in the Width of the clip over the interior Width of the channel.

The excessive width of the clip and the ensuing bowing of the webthereof prevent retraction of the clip after it has been driven orforced home. Retraction is prevented because a normal strain on the clipcan not reverse the angle of the bow formed in the web in seating theclip in the channel, and because the material of the web bites into thematerial of the channel. The ends of the clip, when forced home, have atendency to form notches into the material of the channel. The cliptends to slightly expand the channels where the ends of the web contactthe channel. For that reason, the channels should be of stiffer materialthan the clip. The channels generally are of steel. The clips alsogenerally are of a steel which has a fair degree of resiliency.

Succeeding boards are laid against the previously anchored onesinthemanner described. 'Ihe operations which have been describedin respect tothe positioning of a clip against the first laid board are repeated withrespect to each newly laid board until the selected area is covered withboards. The last laid board is nailed or otherwise secured at its backedge if a clip cannot be used to hold it in position.

The wings 34 of the clip engage the lower face I3 of the grooves I2 ineach board to hold the board at its opposite sides against any elevationfrom the channel, (see Figure 3). As a second board is laid against thefirst anchored board, the projecting wing 34 of the anchored clip 36extends over the lower face I3 of the groove I2 in the second board towedge the front edge of the second board upon the channel 20. The firstlaid clip 3B thus serves to hold one edge of the first laid board andone edge of the second laid board. The second laid board is locked inposition by another clip 30 at its back edge.

'I'he second laid board and each succeeding board thus is held inposition by two firmly anchored clips 30 having wings 34 projecting intoopposed grooves I2 to wedge thel contiguous boards tightly against thechannels 2|). The previously explained bowing of the web of the clip 30and the biting of the ends of the web 3| into the channels 20 preventsretraction of the clip 30. The firm anchorage of the clips preventscreeping of the boards. A secure assembly of channel, clips and boardsmay thus be obtained without the use of nails in the boards and withoutany of the disadvantages of nailed structures. 'I'he assembly may be hadquickly even by an inexperienced carpenter. The wedging of the clips inthe channel positively prevents movement of the board in a directionopposite to that from which the boards were laid.

The wings 33 project from the bottom edge o-f the clip 30 to rest andride upon the top surface of the channel body 2| and prevent the clip 3Ufrom tilting while it is within the channel previous to being wedgedtherein. The web 3| of clip 30 is of such thickness that the clip isdisposable between boards in the space provided by the beveling of thelatter without deforming the sides of such boards. The position of theclip between contiguous boards II) is clearly illustrated in Figure 3.

Other shapes or types of top ends for the clips 30 may be employed tohold boards having a different side formation from those herein shownand such clip ends may be designed to hold acoustical or other tiles ifdesired. Two other clips are illustrated in Figures 6, 7 and 8.

Figure 6 illustrates a clip substantially identical with the cliphereinbefore described with the feet 33 omitted. This clip comprisesbody |30, board holding wings |34, and side slots |32. There may be anindented lower edge |36 to facilitate mo-vement of the clip over screwheads used to fasten the channel |26. The body of the clip below slots|32 is deformed in the channel |20 in the same manner as the previouslydescribed clip is deformed in channel 20.

Figures 7 and 3 show a clip suited for use with tongue and grooveboards. a lower web 236 having slots 232 in the sides thereof, anindented lower edge 236, and an upper web 231 terminating in prongs 238adapted to rest on the top of a tongue on a tongue and groove board. Thetop half of such clip is described in detail in the application of LeonF. Urbain, Serial No. 609,689, filed May 6, 1932, now Patent No.2,046,593, dated July '7, 1936, and entitled Flooring, The material ofthe -clip beneath the slots 232 is adapted to be deformed in a channel220 to secure tongue and groove boards in position, the clip beingforced into position with the prongs 238 over the tongue of the lastlaid board, with the groove of the next laid board receiving andenclosing the back of the clip therein. The boards beneath the tongueand groove parts thereof are milled with the side wall inset. 'I'hematched inset side walls have sufficient space therebetween to receivethe body 230 of the clip.

What we claim as new and desire to be secured by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

l. A floor board clip comprising a horizontal base, a section risingvertically therefrom and wider than said base, said base being insetfrom the side edges of the vertical section, and oppositely directedsubstantially horizontal sections upon Athe upper edge of said verticalsection to extend over sections of board.

2. In combination, a channelled support having opposed sides, boardsresting thereon, and a clip between -said boards, said clip havingsubstantially horizontal oppositely directed tongues at one edge wedgedover preformed upwardly directed faces of said boards and having itsother end deformed and wedged between said opposed sides whereby to lockthe clip in said channelled support.

3. A floor clip comprising la vertical section,

substantially horizontal base portions at the lower corners of thevertical section and extending from opposite faces thereof, andsubstantially horizontal board gripping portions at the upper corners ofthe vertical section and extending from opposite faces thereof.

4. A floor board clip for co-operation with a grooved foundation havinginwardly extending edges, comprising a base for co-operation with Itsbody comp-rises the foundation and having portions extending parallelwith the foundation beneath such edges, a single vertical sectionextending from the base, a substantially horizontal board grippingsection extending from one face of the vertical section at one side edgethereof, and a second substantially horizontal board gripping sectionextending in the opposite direction from the vertical section at theother side edge thereof.

5. In combination, a grooved foundation member having inwardly extendingedges, boards resting thereon, and a clip joining the boards to thefoundation member, said clip having oppositely.

directed horizontal base portions engaging beneath the edges of thefoundation member, a vertical portion extending from the base portionsbetween the edges of the boards, and oppositely disposed board engagingportions extending over surfaces of the boards and pressing the boardsagainst the foundation member.

6. A sheet metal board clip comprising a horizontal base having a flathorizontal supporting surface of considerable extent, a vertical webbent upwardly from said base and having a greater width than the widthof said base, said base being inset from the side edges of the verticalweb,

and oppositely directed tongues bent horizontally from the top of saidweb.

7. A sheet metal board clip comprising a horizontal base, a singlevertical web bent upwardly from said base and having a greater widththan the width of said base and extending beyond the base on both edges,and oppositely directed tongues bent horizontally from the top of saidweb.

8. A sheet metal board clip having a base comprising oppositely directedhorizontal tongues of sheet metal, a single vertical web bent upwardlyfrom said base members and adapted to be engaged in a channel member,and oppositely directed tongues bent horizontally from theV top of saidweb.

9. In combination with a floor board, a clip comprising a flathorizontal base portion adapted to support the clip in proper operativeposition, a sheet section rising generally vertically therefrom, saidflat base portion being narrower than said vertical section and insetfrom the side edges thereof, substantially horizontal tongues on theupper edge of said vertical section to extend over portions of aboard,and a. channel engaging said base portion of the clip and havingopposite side walls adjacent the said side edges but offset from theedges of the base portion a distance corresponding to the distance ofsaid inset, said channel having a wall portion adjacent said flat baseportion of lthe clip.

LEON F. URBAIN. FRANK W. CHERRY.

